Cybertron's Night of the Living Dead REWRITE
by Supermoi
Summary: A SpecOps team disappear in a ruined old City, and a team led by Jazz is sent to investigate. What they find will shatter their world forever... and jazz is hidding a terrible secret! Will death claim our heroes, or will they survive the night... of the Living Dead! Hint of Jazz/Prowl, mech gore, horror and disturbing imagerie. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! Corrected version of an old story.
1. Prologue: The message

**Disclaimer : **I don't own Transformers, that's for sure. Otherwise, I'd be rich!

**Author's Note: **That story had popped in my mind sometimes during the night, and I just had to put it into words. It's kinda creepy and really scary, and funny at the same time, in my opinion! No slash, no pairing!

**Warnings: **horror and a lot of mech gore…

**Rated:** M, to be on the safe side…

**Cybertron's Night of the Living Dead**

_Message_

"_*parasites*…Kept__us running for a while…*parasites* wounded, and I don't know who or what those things… *parasites*Were torn apart by these__beasts. I'm the last survivor of the team… *parasite*Trapped in a basement, don't known where exactly… *Parasites*Send you coordinates, but I don't think I will… *parasite, silence, then crashing and glass breaking noises* NO!__STAY BACK! HAAAAAA!"_

The mechs assembled in the control room where all silent and wore grim faces, disturbed by the content of that message. It wasmore then just a little disturbing, to say the least. Optimus Prime looked at the six mechs assembled around the table. They all looked uncomfortable, glacing at each others, deeply shaken and distraught by that communication. Horizon, the mech heard in that message, had been a comrade and friend for a long time. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, the infamous Frontliner Twins, where sitting lazily in their seats, arms folded and looking they didn't care, but the lines of tension around their mouth and slightly narrowed optics told another story entirely… Jazz was standing right next to Optimus, looking uncharacteristically serious and stern, head tilted to the side as he was listening to the distress message they just goes trough. Horizon and his team had been SpecOps and under his direct command. They were his, and now... apparently, they were all dead. Taken by some unknown force, and Jazz didn't like surprises or the unknown.

The three others where new recruits, fresh out of training, and had never really faced the horrors of war. Stormcloud was a large black and silver mech wearing an permanent hardened and cold expression, as if nothing could faze him or break that hard shell of his. His specialization were weapons and explosives and he was one of Ironhide's best students. The mech was just as trigger-happy as the old Weapon's Specialist, and THAT was telling a lot about the mech! Deadly and focussed, cold and detached, and, according to most of the new recruits, a real afthole. He was like a well-oiled, perfectly tuned weapon, once unleashed on the ennemy, he would not stop until the last mech lay dead and grayed at his pedes. He didn't seems affected at all by the current situation. However, how accurate that statement was was still to be seen.

Next to him was seated Silverstreak was a little red and white mech, petite in frame but according to his tutor ratchet, he had a hell of a temper. Medic in training, he was already a skilled surgeon and made him particularly proud. The grouchy old medic had only praises for the young medibot and some were saying that he was becoming a younger version of the Hatchet. He had a wicked aim, and was deadly with a sniper rifle. Very fierce and merciless when it comes to battle, he could kill and maim just as well as he healed and mended. He was currently looking at their leader with an uneasy look in his optics, his finely chiseled faceplates conveying his growing unease and worry.

The last mech present was also the most awkward, kind of out of place. He was a thin, tall golden and black mech with long, clawed hands and a pair of wings adorning his slender back, screaming out loud of his Seeker nature. He was named Goldendeath and that name was the perfect fit for him, for he was death from above, blinding and deadly. He was what humans could call a psychopath, or at the very least a sociopath with a murderous streak, for he took great pleasure in the act of killing and destruction. He always approached death like it was a form of art, fine and delicate yet brutal and unforgiving, and he was a great master of his art, taking pride in what he does. The ex-Decepticon took great pleasure and amusement in his comrade's uneasiness and fear of him, often carefully disguised as loathing and sneering disgust. he didn't care what others thought of him though, as long as he had Decepticons to kill and maim. The fact that he never changed his outer appearance, all sharp edges, spikes and fangs did nothing to help his integration into the Autobot's rank either. Nobody was able to look him in the optics for long because what they saw was just too primal, too raw and disturbing to endure for long. His loyalty was to the Prime only to him but no one knew why or how he had come to join the Autobots in the first place. He seemed out of place here, more beast then mech. Since neither him nor Optimus would tell, his past remained a mystery and was clouded in dark, foreboding shadows that most Autobots found unsettling. he was currently starring in front of him, expression blank and kind of bored as he played with one of his wrist blade, sheathing and unsheathing it. What was on his mind was a complete mystery.

Optimus Prime was the one to break the silence that had fallen since the message was played. It almost sounded too loud in the quiet and everyone's attention immediately focused on their Leader as he finally spoke. His own voice was calm and even, telling nothing of his feelings and as strong and steady as ever. As he moved, pacing in front of the large table, the red and blue flame pattern on his chest and arms seemed to move as if they were alive.

"That message was received four breems ago and was sent by the leader of a 5 mechs scouting team that were sent to investigate a small abandoned city south of here. When the comunication came in, the team was already five hours late in reporting in." There was a pâuse and Optimus stopped pacing, looking around the room at them all as they listened intensely. "Something obviously has happened to them that deactivated them all, and this incident must be investigated. That city is only three days from here, close enough that it could be a real threat if Decepticons had taken over it."

"Well, seem to me than they run into a 'con ambush and got killed…" Interrupted Sunstreakerwith a snicker, earning himself a sharp elbowing from his twin and a shove through their bond. he answered with a scowl but didn't add anything else.

Optimus gave the mech a warning look before resuming his speech as if he was never interrupted, smoothly and decisively.

"It may seem like the logical conclusion, Sunstreaker, but we don't know for sure what happened to them. The mech you heard in the transmission was named Horizon and he was an experienced scout and a highly skilled warrior, as well as a SpecOps agent working closely with Jazz. I have my doubt concerning Decepticons involvement because that mech wouldn't have been scared by a Decepticon's ambush team. Something is amiss in this and this is why I want that incident investigated further. Your mission will be to investigate the premises of the city Horizon's team was sent to and, if possible, retrieve any survivors you'll find."

"Sounds like a piece of energon cake to me." Muttered Stormcloud as he looked up to meet his Leader's optics. " I don't like it when it sounds too easy like that. That can only means there's something we don't know about that could blow up in our faces, that's one thing Ironhide always told me."

"Are you sure it's not Red Alert who's training you, 'Cloud? You sounds just like him, 'ole paranoid Red!" Chuckled Sideswipe as he leaned over his brother frame to snicker at the large mech, earning himself a dark glare. "Didn't know 'Hide has a paranoid streak! You sure learn something new every day!"

He was roughly shove back into his seat by his brother who snarled "Get lost, 'Sides!" before returning his look to the handsome medic seated in front of him and giving him a seductive wink. Sideswipe guffawed as he fell back into his seat and gave his brother a look that meant he wasn't living this down. And was promptly snarled at through their shared bond for his trouble. They were all interrupted by an annoyed, serious voice and all optics turned on Jazz, who up until now had remained silent. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a grim expression graced his usually cheerful features.

"Enough! Tha's not a Laughin' matter, mechs! If there are 'Cons in the ruins of that 'ole city, you won' be Laughin' when we get there!" He glared at each and every mechs present in the room, narrowing his optics at the twins and making them lower their optics, subduing them all with his optics before turning to Optimus again, saying with a half-smirk. "C'mon, Prime, They're listenin' now."

"Thank you Jazz. As I was trying to say, Horizon's Scout team was sent to investogate the ruins of an old city ravaged by the Decepticons many Vorns ago. It was a relatively small city and the attack left no survivors. It was quick, merciless and devastating and meets the Decepticon's strategy of hit and run that was widely used at the time. To put it plainly, it was a slaughter and none were spared, were they mechs, Femmes or Sparklings."

"that's old news, Prime, even if that's horrible and sad. Why is it of any importance to our mission?" Asked Stormcloud, lifting an optic ridge.

"This is where I'm going, Soldier. All of this plays a role in the current siuation." Replied Optimus whit a hint of annoyance coloring his otherwise calm tone. "What I am about to tell you now has nothing to do with logic or rationality, but please, listen until I am done explaining and keep an open mind. It will sounds like Old Femme's tale, I am sure ofit, but it is linked to what might have happened to the lost team."

"So? What is it, Prime?" Asked Silverstreak with a curious look in his optics, his voice colored with uneasiness.

"After the attack, the city was completely abandoned and left to rust until everything here has all but return to rust and dust, buildigs, remains, everything, as is the way that life goes on, making room for the new and destroying the old. There were so many dead that no one could give them all a decent funeral and almost all of the corpses were just left to rust where they fell, except for a few who had family outside of the city. usually, that would be a strong enough deterrent to stop wanderers to venture into the city, but some mechs did, and this is where the story becomes... well, less conventional, let's just say. Stories of haunting and moving corpses from the mouth of half-mad mechs and femme whom had claimed to have ventured into the old ruins and survived."

"Haunting and moving corpses? This is getting interesting!" Interrupted Sideswipe yet again and his brother elbowed him sharply.

"Shut up, afthead! That's a load of slag! Ghosts aren't real and corpses can't move once they're dead." Sunstreaker retorted, sounding almost angry at the thought of something so far-fetched and illogical.

"Wheter you believe it or not, Sunstreaker, the facts are that many mechs disappeared over the vorns in those ruins and the stories speaks of restless souls condemned to walk the streets of place where they were slaughtered for all eternity by Primus himself, until they sought revenge for their death. It's why I was reluctant to let Horizon's team go there in the first place and why I have my doubts about what really happened to them. You must be careful when you reach your destination, mechs. The place is dangerous with or without supernatural events taking place. Even if the stories are all exaggeration and hallucination or whatnot, that place is littered with deathtraps and still highly hazardous. I recommend the highest prudence while you are there."

There was a long moment of silence, and then Stormcloud burst out laughing along with Sideswipe, while Silverstreak and Sunstreaker looked uneasy and were either scowling darkly (Sunstreaker) or frowning deeply (Silverstreak). Obviously the two former didn't believe a single word of that story of "restless souls". After regaining a little composure, the young warrior said, voice dripping sarcasm and disbelief.

"C'mon, you don' really believe all those dumb stories of ghosts and all that slag, Prime? That's just crap made up by creators to scare little sparklings, or better yet, made up by the 'Cons toscare gullible glitches and make sure no one ever goes there! They'd been trapped by some restless DECEPTICONS, not a bunch of ghosts! Come on, get real, mechs!"

"Still, be very careful when you reach your destination. Wheter those stories have a flicker of truth in them or not, even Decepticons passing for ghosts can be deadly. Jazz?" Said Optimus in a neutral voice, leaving the rest to Jazz and taking a step back, arms over his chest.

"Sir?"

"Be ready to depart in ten breems. That is all, mechs!"

"It will be done, Optimus, Sir."

-TBC-

R&amp;R, please!


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to the Pit

**Cybertron's Night of the Living Dead**

_Welcome to the Pit_

Preparation was quick and efficient and took only six breems and exactly ten Breems after leaving the briefing room, the search and rescue team was ready to leave and loaded to face anything thrown at them out there. They headed south to the ruins of the destroyed city of Seltronia, where Horizon's team disappeared 5 days ago. Jazz was in a very sour mood, his field gloomy and dark and driving his teamates to steer clear of him. Soon, in fact, it started to worry even the troublesome twins and they came up closer to the Saboteur, their own field worried and concerned.

"hey, Jazz, what's wrong whit you? You're so quiet, we were wondering if the cybercat got your glossa." Sideswipe said first, brushing his field against Jazz and feeling the other mech's thunderous mood.

"Yeah, what's crawled up your tailpipe, mech?" Added the yellow twin from his other side, unusually serious.

Driving a few paces behind the three, Stormcloud and Silverstreak were watching the exchange with interest. They, too, were worried about the silver mech. It wasn't like eve-cheerful, fun-loving Jazz to be dark and serious or even quiet. he was the definition of boisterous and loud. However, none of the two knew the mech all that well, and were reluctant to try and talk to him. Better let the twins try to talk to him, they knew him a lot better, having been on the same team for a lot longer.

"Tell me, Streaky, is it me or is our leader's a little... off? Jumpy, gloomy and dark doesn't seem to fit Jazz very well, if you ask me."

"Yeah, I think so…" Replied the little red and silver mech quietly, watching the conversation taking place between the disaster duo and the spy. "But I'm not gonna ask him what's going on. I barely know the mech. It wouldn't be appropriate to pry. I leave it to those two fraggers, 'Cloud." He fell silent and stayed that way for a while after that before asking, tone colored with nervousness and maybe a bit of fear. "Hey, 'Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Whaddya think about what Prime said? Ya know… about those disappearances and those creepy stories surrounding Selonia City?"

The little mech shifted uncomfortably, shy and obviously uncomfortable to be asking that question out loud. Maybe he was affraid to be seen as a wimp if he let out he may believe a bit of those stories. The black and silver mech rumbled his engines and drove up closer to him, almost rubbing his bumper to his in what felt like a attempt to be reassuring.

"Don'cha worry 'bout that, Streaky, their just stories to make little Sparklings afraid. There is nothin' like "restless souls" or ghosts or walking corpses. The only thing we must worry 'bout are the 'cons we'll most assuredly stumble upon in those decrepit ruins, handsome."

"You… You sure? Prime sounded very serious, you know…" The little mech said in a shaky voice, leaning into the bigger mech's touch with a purr of engines. "What if there is a little bit 'o truth in those stories?..."

"Hey, calm down, would you, Streaky? No fraggin' ghost's gonna kill ya as long as I have somethin' to say 'bout it, got it?" Replied the mech in a serious tone, lightly shoving the smaller mech again gently, chuckling and expanding his field to brush against his warmly.

"'Kay, thanks 'Cloud. Love ya…" Answered the mech in a more cheerful tone, apparently reassured for the moment and purring at the attention.

"Love ya too, Streaky. I'll be there for ya. Always…"

**oOo**

A little way ahead of the two lovebots, the twins were still bugging Jazz to tell them what was eating at him since they received the distress since they listened to that message, the usually easygoing Saboteur was all silent and his field felt like fear and something else... darker and deeper. It was deeply disturbing to teek that and the Twins were trying to solve that bit of mystery.

What they didn't know was that the silver mech had had family in that city before the war. An Uncle, his bondmate and their two sparklings and they were there when the 'Cons attacked all those vorns ago. Killed along all the rest of the population of the city for sure. They couldn't have survived the slaughter and he was feeling more and more affraid of what he was going to find out there... Not only because his family was killed there 28 Vorns ago, but becauseof a secret he had kept for a long, long time. He had never told this to anyone, not even Prime, because it would have been his downfall. If Prime had known about this, he would never had let the silver mech go or anybody else for that matter. In fact, he most certainly would have ordered the complete and total obliteration of the cursed City of Seldonia…

Going back there would mean his death. His darker secret would be his demise… No one could know. Not now, not ever.

At last, pissed off by the twins' ministration, the Autobot SIC scowled them and told them to get lost, angrily driving forward in a sudden burst of shared a concern brush through the bond and decided to settle back for the time being. Whatever was bothering Jazz, they'd find out once they get to Seldonia. In the meantime, they would observe the Saboteur and keep worrying about him.

Over everybody else's head, in his tetrajet mode, Goldendeath was watching everything with calculating stare. The silent mech was far from oblivious to what was going on, he was just at not showing anything outwardly. He just liked to keep to himself most of the time, finding other mech's company to be often overrated and unwelcome. Besides, there was something about the way he joined up with the Autobots. No one understood why Prime ever allowed it. What does a psychopath, a killer like him would gain by joining the Autobots, anyway? Yeah, that's a good question, and the answer is quite simple. He couldn't stay with the Decepticons since they branded him a traitor for something that happened Vorns ago and he certainly couldn't go neutral because he just couldn't do Neutral. he was far too dangerous and unpredictable. So… Optimus Prime made a deal whit him after he was captured in exchange for his loyalty. He would let him kill any Decepticons he wanted, the way he wanted, and when the time comes, let him execute his revenge against those who framed him up. In exchange for that, the Seeker's loyalty to Optimus Prime would remains and by extension to the Autobots. Even if in the end, Goldendeath answered to no one but the Prime.

But now, he had the feeling that his nature, his craving for energon and killing. would be most welcome. Very handy in fact. He could tell that Jazz was hiding something important, something that could mean life or death for the team. It was like a hardwired instinct, he just knew when someone was hiding something dark and ugly. He was determined to uncover the secret and the sooner the better… because he very much enjoyed living, and something was telling him he wouldn't live much longer once they reach Seldonia. Jazz was going to talk... or else.

**oOo**

That night, as everybody else was in recharge, Goldendeath got up and came silently behind the silver spy, who was standing guard at the moment. They weren't exactly in Decepticon territory, but better safe than sorry, and hence guard duty was settled for as long as they were out there in the open. He sneaked up to the silver mech and clamped both his hands on the other mech's shoulders, sharp claws digging in the plating. Jazz yelped and tried to spin around, but a rough hand clamped over his mouth and he struggled in vain against the larger, much stronger Seeker. As quickly and silently as possible, he was dragged away from the light and behind a pile of rubble. Only then, when he was turned around and pinned to the hard metal wall behind, did he realize who exactly had caught him, and his optics narrowed dangerously behind his dark blue visor. Goldendeath was smirking down at him disturbingly and showed way too many sharp dentas with that creepy expression.

The mech leaned down a little and red optics shone ominously in the dark, too close for comfort.

"Keep it quiet! I just want to talk, Jazz." The Seeker leaned even closer, invading Jazz's space and narrowed his optics threateningly, brushing their fields threateningly. "Release only the slightest bit of sound higher than a whisper and I will silence you in a way you are not going to like. No one would know... I won't leave a mark... You know I'm capable of doing it…"

Jazz froze, considering the larger mech with narrowed optics, expression dark and thunderous but in the end, he nodded slowly acknowledging that this mech was quite capable of going through with his threat. The Seeker removed his hand slowly, ready to silence him again if the smaller mech made even the tiniest of noise to try and attract the other's attention. Jazz knew better, though and he knew when he was bested. He knew about that mech and his past, and the reason why Prime kept him online was beyond him and he had warned his Leader many times about that murderous madmech. That Seeker was a greater threat to the Autobots then an entire Decepticon's battalion loaded up for battle! He was a true killer, a cold-sparked monster of the truest form, the purest impersonation of evil itself and the Prime seemed blind to that simple truth! He had once seen that Seeker dive from above and gut a mech while laughing maniacally, sickening joy permeating his every move and body language. It made him sick to his tanks… But Optimus said he was safe, and Jazz had to stand down and accept his Prime's orders even if he strongly disagreed with them.

"That's a good bot…" Snickered the mech coldly. "You're hiding something, Jazz, something very important and I want to know what it is, Jazzy-boy. I have the feeling that it's of vital importance if we're going to survive our little trip in the old City of Selonia. So… Let's get serious now, shall we?" His fanged grin grew wider and he leaned even closer, claws digging into soft plating and drawing a bit of energon out. "Wanna talk on your own free will, or do I have to… convince you?"

The way he said those words sent shiver down the silver mech spine. He had no doubt Goldendeath will have a field day forcing a mech to spill his darker secrets. He wasn't going to spill his darkest secret to that sonavaglitched-processor but he has to say something to make him lay off him… Until they reached Selonia, that is. When they reached the city, well... They will know, or they will not come back. Either way, they were going to die there.

"Alright, alright! Get off, ya slagger!"

The mech eyed him suspiciously for a while before letting go and taking two steps backward, arms crossed over his chest. He was waiting, claws clicking as they sheathed and unsheathed ominously, tapping against his thick armour.

"Ya see I had family on Selonia before tha' war… An uncle and his family. A bondmate an' two sparklings. They… died in the 'cons attack. Slaughtered with all the rest of the city's population. Prime knows… No one else had known until now, you fragging slagger! That' why am not that eager to go back there. Brought back bad old memories I would've prefered stayed buried, if ya got mah' meanin' an all… Ya see?"

The other mech was silent for a long moment, just staring at him hard and coldly, and jazz was starting to get nervous. He was fidgeting nervously, shifting from foot to foot like a guilty sparkling under a Creator's stare, and crossed his arms over his chest to hide his growing fear. He had told him the truth… Well, part of it, anyway and not the nastiest part at that. The whole truth… well, it was something he would keep to himself until the day he off-lined and met Primus face to face to meet his own punishment for his sins. That moment was going to be much quicker than he expected even a cycle ago and he was not ready to face it... he doesn't think he ever would be ready. That journey would be his last, but what he feared wasn't to be deactivated, no. That would be the easy part. It was to face his terrible secret, and the consequences of his youth's foolishness.

"You're still hiding something, Jazzy-boy. I'm not an idiot, I know you. You are head of SpecOps for a good reason, you don't scare easy. You wouldn't be scared half to death simply from having to see your old family's destroyed home town. So what else is waiting for us out there hum? What's going to kill us when we get there? Spill it. I won't leave 'til I know the truth… And don't forget that I'll know if you're lying."

Damn!

"Back off, Seeker! I've got nothing more to say to ya!" Jazz sounded angry, pissed even, and his optics narrowed, flashing brightly behind his visor. Whatever he was hiding, he really didn't want it to be known and Goldendeath could see it in the way he reacted so violently.

"That's not what I wanted to hear. Try again?" Said the mech, pinning the smaller bot to the wall once more and pressing hard into him, making his armor creakin protest. He was starting to feel the weight of the other, much larger mech, crush him and Jazz hissed in pain when something snapped loudly in his lower chassis. He kicked him in the chin hard to get free but no such luck… He wasn't going to free himself anytime soon. That fragger sure knew what he was doing.

"Let… me go… I can have ya throw in the brig for that, Goldy, you know that…"

"Yeah, you could... That is, _IF_ we ever get back from that trip… _Jazzy-boy_." He pressed just a little harder, earning a pained yelp from the mech as another snaping sound was heard. "And don't call me Goldy ever again or I crush you like a bug." He hissed in his audio, voice dripping ice and venom.

Jazz was out of options. He was trapped with nowhere to go, his chassis stating to strain dangerously, His chest armor was already slightly buckled, it wouldn't take long for it to break and cave in to crush his spark casing beneath. So, he spilled it out, dentas gritted, voice harsh and barely over the faintest whisper. He spilled his darker secret to that psychopath and he saw the changes of expression, the threatening sneer starting to ebb, the coldness abating replaced by shocked disbelief, even a bit of horror. After he was finished, Goldendeath let go and stepped back, staring down at him with an unreadable expression. Jazz was pissed off, seriously enraged, and would gladly kill the smug, cold sparked fragger but he couldn't help the spark of pride at having unsettled the sparked killer standing in front of him. After a moment, the Seeker's face hardens again and his red optics flashed brighter, rage and anger battling with a hint of fear in their blood-red depth. He suddenly wrapped a clawed hand around the mech's throat and lifted him off the ground, bringing him face to face with him.

"You fool… What were you thinking?! Madness! Even I wouldn't do such a thing... a monstrosity…" He paused, taking a deep intake apparently to calm himself and regain some coolness. His optics narrowed dangerously and he hissed threateningly in Jazz's audio once more, squeezing his throat just a bit harder. "Toying whit such forces was the worst mistake you could ever manage to do in a thousand lifetimes! Do you have the slightest idea of what you have unleashed, you pit-spawned idiotic buffoon!? And they call ME mad! What a Joke…" Goldwendeath sneered at this and finally released Jazz, letting him fall on the ground on a heap, coughing and rubbing his sore throat, glaring up at him. The seeker was unfazed by this and just looked down at him coldly, unforgiving and deadly serious. "Listen, you bastard, if we ever get out of this slag, you WILL tell what you just told me to Optimus Prime. He has the power to obliterate that place, erase it from the surface of Cybertron before the plague crawling into its walls get out!"

Jazz didn't say anything, just looked at the floor ashamed after picking himsefl back up. He had nothing to answer to those accusations. it was all true, he was a fool and he had done something that will sentence him to the Pit the moment his spark goes offline. He knew he was a monster, that was why he was so good at his job. He had done the unthinkable for his own personal reasons. It was selfish, it was wrong and now… he was going to pay for his mistake.

"You're lucky that we still need you, Jazz. You may be the only one able to stop this madness once and for all once we finally reach Seldonia. So. despite my better judgement and the fact that I REALLY want to tear you limb from limb slowly right now, I'll let you live… For now. But, Primus help me, I will kill you myself if - no not if, WHEN - things starts to go right down to the Pit in that Primus forsaken place. You will go down before me, Jazz, this I swear on my Spark!"

"Don't you think I didn't already tried ta stop it? I failed miserably…" Jazz tried to explain, knowing it was no use. The seeker was inches away from tearing his head off anyway, he better not try his luck any further.

"Don't. Just... shut the frag up, Jazz! You've done more than enough already! Let's pretend nothing happened... for now, but the moment the slag hit the cooling fan, I burst your little secret wide open! Do we understands each other?"

"Yes, we do." Jazz replied calmly, having regained some composure. "Cristal clear."

"Good. You should go get some recharge, it's my turn on guard duty."

And with those words, the seeker made it clear that the conversation was over. He transformed and flew off, disappearing out of sight and staying just on the limit of sensor range to patrol from the air. jazz looked at the sky for a long moment, lost in thoughts, before he walked to his own resting spot and sat down. Recharge did not come to him though and he stayed online all dark cycle watching the seeker fly high over them.

**oOo**

They reached the City soemtimes during the next Light Cycle and Jazz had grown incresingly edgy and jumpy. It wasn't exactly clear when they reached the city limits, but in a way, it was clear they had reached their destination. Maybe It was something in the air, a chill down the spine, or maybe a smell, faint and easily disregarded. Whatever it was, the sensation was very unpleasant, a deep feeling of uneasiness falling over the small group of mechs. They had somehow moved in a closer formation during the last Joor and they were now driving very close to each other.

Silverstreak was almost welded to Stormcloud, Sunny and Sides were so close that it was difficult to tell one twin from the other as if they were welded at the hip joint. The only ones keeping their distance from the others were jazz, a little bit ahead of the group, and Goldendeath, flying overhead. The first was a couple of mechanometers ahead of the other vehicles and semeed to be very nervous and more paranoïd than ever, watching every alley, buildings and side road they crossed for any signs of danger. He was obviously expecting something. Above the group, in jet mode Goldendeath was surveying the area very carefully. Both knew what to expect and they were extremely wary, optics and audios opened for anything unusual.

What they didn't know was that they had been watched from the very moments they entered the ruins of the old cursed city of Seldonia. Many, many blood red optics were trained on them, watching, waiting...

**oOo**

_Screeech… Screeech…_

_Slow, unsteady footstep crawling out of dark corners and empty doorways. Thousands of empty, cold optics watching…_

_Smelling, almost feeling the fresh energon, warm metal flesh that had come into their territory…_

_Every building, every shadow seemed to come alive… They were hiding, waiting for the night to come, for their time to feast…_

_And then, when the two moons shone bright on the sky and the night was young…_

_The hunt will begin!_

_**To be continued...**_


	3. Chapter 2: Dusk

_Dusk_

On Cybertron's, there's nothing like 'day' and 'night' in the way humans understand it. The planet's sun is too small and deliver far too little light for it to be of any noticeable effect on the diurnal and nocturnal cycles here. What mark the passage of days are the cycles of the two moons of Cybertron, who brightens the Dark Cycles and hang almost ominously in the purplish-black sky.

So, there is a kind of dusk, but it has nothing to do whit the sunset as we know it on Earth, 'cause there is no sun to set at all.

No, dusk on Cybertron happens when the first moon start to rise above the horizon and it happens approximately at the same time every cycle, with some changes over the mega-cycles and stellar-cycles, marking thus the passage of seasons, or what you could call 'seasons' on a metallic world like Cybertron. While being of little consequence to this story, that little piece of information is of great importance for it marks the moment that day and night shift place. What lurks under the moons can then start to crawl out of the shadows and hunts in the open.

In the small amount of time it took the search and rescue team to reach the center of Selonia City, the first moon had began to rise above the horizon, behind them. The ruined city now nothing more than a vast graveyard for all the mechs and Femmes slaughtered here vorns ago, left there to rust, scattered all over the city. So far they hadn't seen any remains, but it was only a matter of time before the run across something disgusting. None of them knew that _disgusting things _were already coming their way fast...

Dusk had indeed fallen, and something new had awakened, something that was filling the air with an uneasy, dreadful feeling. Something terrible and incredibly foul but, as the group start driving even slower and closer to each other, no one could tell what was that creepy, cold chill who was coming down their spinal unit, freezing them to the very Spark… Aware of something amiss, something spark-deep _wrong, _yet unable to know what exactly was hunting them.

No one except for Jazz.

The team leader was silent, nervous and visibly scared to death. Jazz and scared didn't usually go together but this time, the fear, the sheer dread, was coming in waves from the mech's fields. The usually cheerful, easy going mech was a wreck by the time they reached the central plaza of the abandoned city, twirching, jumping at every shadows, plating clamped so tight on his frame that it looked painful. He was constantly looking behind them at the rising moon, checking how far the first moon had risen already and becoming more agitated as the moon rose higher and higher over the dark, rusted horizon.

He was obviously waiting for something to happen but what... it was anyone's guess. He knew something, that much was obvious, but he was as silent as the dead lying inside the ruins surrounding them. The only other to know after forcefully coaxing the information out of Jazz, was the Autobot Seeker Goldendeath, and he descended from the sky and landed a few feet away, coming over to stand right beside the silver sports car. They had all stopped and transformed into robot mode by now, and Jazz's dark, pinched expression was matched only by the cold, calculating glare of the dark and gold seeker.

"You have to tell them, now. Let them realize what's waiting to slaughter them just out of sight in the shadow. At least, those poor fool may have a chance to fight back if they know what's coming..."

"I…" Started the smaller mech in an unsteady voice, laced with deep, disgusting fear. "I… can't…"

The psychopathic flier had a cold laugher, brutal and devoid of all emotion, something that fit completely in the eerie, gloomy surroundings. It wasn't higher than the slightest whisper and only reached jazz's audios, the others remaining ignorant about the exchange between the two mechs. His clawed hand rose, clamping firmly on the other's shoulder, squeezing painfully. Jazz winced but did nothing to shake the hand off, not even moving to alert the others that anything was wrong. All the while he was nervously looking around, his optics darting from one spot to the other, hands nervously tightening around his gun. No dark thresholds, no half collapsed buildings, no alley's dark mouths or shadows were left unchecked. So far nothing moved, but he knew... He could sense it, THEY were close, all around them, but he couldn't see them... yet.

"if you don't tell them, Jazz, I will and I'll make sure they all know who's responsible for their death before THEY come and tear them apart limb from limbs, eat them alive, drink up their energon from their still spraying, torn up fuel lines… They will curse you with their last breath, Jazz… They will hate you has they die."

It was incredibly cruel, a psychological torture designed to torment him as he listened, his spark aching and his dentas clamping so hard they grinded. In the end, something snaped inside the small silver mech and he shoved the golden and black flier away from him violently, making him land flat on his back on the dirty street. Goldendeath just looked up at him with a cold smirk and a mirthful glint in his optics.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I'LL BLAST YOU IF YOU DON'T SHUT THE FRAG UP, YOU DISGUSTING AFTHOLE!" Jazz shouted, looking half-mad with fear and rage already, aiming his laser gun at the downed seeker's head, the hand holding the gun visibly shaking but his aim remained true and trained between the mech's optics. He was at the edge of total nervous breakdown. "SAY JUST ONE MORE WORD AND I BLOW YOUR FRAGGING HEAD OFF, YOU PIT-SPAWNED SLAGGER! DO YOU FRAGGIN HEAR ME!?"

The four other member of the team, whom had been nervously securing the surrounding area, jumped at the sudden outburst and looked in disbelief at Jazz, who was threatening a comrade, aiming a gun at his head and obviously merely an inch from blowing his head off. Said comrades was apparently completely unfazed by the display, chuckling with dark amusement, almost daring Jazz to just _do it already_. Looking at each other's in complete shock at Jazz's completely out of character's behavior, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were the first to shake it off and come closer to Jazz, the golden twin putting a soothing hand on the smaller mech trembling shoulder. However, he was ready to tackle the smaller grounder and subdue him if the need arise.

"Jazz? Put the gun down slowly mech, before someone gets hurt."

Focused solely on the Seeker, oblivious to his surrounding in his single-minded fury, Jazz jumped violently at the sudden touch and spun wildly on his heels, shaking the hand away in the same movement and aiming the laser gun at this new threat, visor way too bright and panting with exertion. Hand still shaking and optics wild, tense and rigid, he looked like a crazed mech, an expression of terrifying madness twisting his usually handsome features. Startled by the sight, Sunstreaker backed off slowly holding his hands in front of him as non-threateningly as possible, trying to get through the anger and fear clouding his team leader's CPU.

"Put the gun down Jazz." Sunstreaker repeated slowly, detaching every word like he was talking to a sparkling or a wild animal. "Nobody's going to hurt you here, where all on the same team, remember? We're all working together. Please listen to me. I don't mean any harm, none of us do."

Sideswipewas now standing right beside his twin, the two of them a barrier between Jazz and his target, blocking his view of him and ready to fight him if they had to. He frowned deeply, unsettled by such a violent display. He and his twin had known Jazz for a very long time, since the beginning of the war and the moment they koined the Autobots, and he had never seen the mech act like that before. It was like somebody else had taken over the body of his friend and was using his body against his will. That behaviour was NOT the Jazz they knew. The mech before them right now was a very dangerous, unpredictable mech and they were trained to deal with that kind of madmechs.

"Jazz? My mech, stop that! Come back to us! What's happening to you?!"

Jazz's optics darted from one twin to the other, his hand still holding and gun and shaking, his body still tense and expression wild and crazy. The twins were trying to soothe him with their fields but were met by something so wild and borderline mad that they had to back off, their expression turning grim and cold. They were about to attack and take him down, calling that mission off and going the Pit back to Iacon! Through all that, Goldendeath had laughed and laughed like a maniac and it was all becoming a rather surreal, nightmarish situation.

**oOo**

Behind them, Stormcloud and Silverstreak were frozen in place, unable to process what was happening. Jazz had suddenly gone mad with no apparent reason. It scared the small medibot and he slowly had backed away from the scene, wantig to distance himself. What of the rumors were true? What if the curse turned mechs into crazy, murderous machines? What if Jazz started attacking them, what would they do then? Stormcloud and himself weren't prepared for this... They hadn't said a word since that madness had started and were staying close to each other and a little distance away from the four other mechs, giving them a wide berth. They didn't realize it but they were standing just in front of an open threshold, half collapsed and rusted, looking like a dark gaping mouth framed with jagged, broken dental plates. They never noticed the slight movement in the darkness behind them, never heard the hissing, the deep and scratchy growl getting closer and closer to them nor the empty sockets staring at them from within the darkness. A red, demonic flame was shining ominously in the depth of those empty optic sockets, promising horror untold and terrible, painful death.

They never saw or heard anything, too caught up in the drama unfolding in front of them, until it was too late. Hands shot out of the darkeness behind Silverstreak but something was awfully, terrifyingly wrong about those hands and the arms that followed them out of the treshold's open maw. The first and easiest thing to notice was that the armor was almost gone on both limbs leaving only scraps and bits and what was indeed left of it was torn, dirty and dented in a horrible way, a way that suggested vorns of decaying. The exposed dermaplating underneath the armor was rotten and again, large patches were missing and rusting horribly. What remained of the metal flesh was hanging precariously on the rusted, half broken hydraulics below. Visible muscle cables were partially hanging loose and disgustingly rusted, decayed. The fact than that… thing… was moving was impossible, and yet it was, slowly moving towards its target.

Those horrible disfigured appendages came closer and closer to the throat of the closest machine in sight, claws ready to grab and the hissing and growling got even louder. A body just ad decayed and torn followed those arms, and then…

"HAAAAAAAAA!"

At that, the five other jumped and Stormcloud, who was standing only two or three feet ahead of the little red and silver mech, spun around wildly and aimed his gun at... He froze in horror at the sight in front of him, mouth agape in a silent scream of disgust.

The… creature… holding Silverstreak in its claws was nothing he had ever seen and it certainly SHOULDN'T be alive by any means at all! It was torn, its armor torn, missing in large chunks, dented and dirty to such a level it made his tanks churn just _smelling _the thing so up close. One of its leg was almost missing, hanging by a couple of wires just below the hip joint, decayed muscle cables the only thing apparently preventing the limb from falling off completely. Its abdomen was torn open and spilling its inner circuits and parts out in a horrifying, disgusting way. Its spark chamber was torn open and dark, as rusty and decayed as the rest. It was obvious that this thing had been dead for some times... and yet it was moving. That contradiction almost made Stormcloud's processor freeze and lock up. There was also some kind of fluid leaking from all the horrible injuries, a sickly greenish-brown color and the smell… Stormcloud almost gagged and he had to bite his glossa to prevent himself to purge his tanks there and then. Rotten dermaplate, or what little was left of it, was hanging from torn and decayed muscle cables and hydraulic rusted parts all over the body. The whole picture was something out of a nightmare...

But the worst part, if there was any, of this disgusting walking horror was its face and head. It was missing its lower jaw and he could see the remains of a rotten glossa dangling horribly from the upper part of the mouth and moving loose like some wet forgotten wire out of a sewer, the sight sickening him to the core. Almost all of the dermaplating was missing there and the dental plating was disgustingly showing, with no lip plating to hide it from sight. The nose was a dark, torn hole in the middle of what passed for a face on this creature and the upper end of the head was missing too, jagged edges all rusted and decayed, more dark green and brown fluid dripping from that area, showing the half-rotten processor inside the cranial unit.

But the worst of all - for yes, there was something even WORST in that Pit-sent creature - were the optics. The sockets were empty and splitting chunk of jelly-like fluids on the ravaged cheekplates, blueish-grey in color, remains of the optical fluids and circuits. In the depth of those dark hole was a reddish, Pit-like flame shining brightly and disturbingly, making the whole thing... alive somehow. The evilnessin those reddish-orange flames cghilled him to his very spark and he was suddenly absolutely certain that Unicron had seen him, was coming for him... There was, however, no Spark or conscience on those dark holes. Only hunger and… something else. Something that was keeping the creature alive.

And that monster was currently biting hard on the poor femme shoulder, tearing it with terrible strength, producing horrible crunching and tearing sounds. That was what made the hardened, grouchy and gruff weapon specialist snap out of the daze the sight of the creature sent him into and he jumped forward, energon blade out and shouting like a madmech.

"YHAAAAA! SILVERSTREAK! LET HER GO, MONSTER!"

And it got worst as more of those… things came crawling out of the collapsed building. Dozens of them were soon out in the open and in no time, the two young Autobots were disappearing in the crowd of Robo-zombies, screaming and trashing wildly to get free.

Suddenly, coming out of their disgust-induced trance, the twins began to shoot those creatures but, to their horror, when they hit one and it goes down, it'll just stand right back up again and start attacking again as if nothing had happened. It looked hopeless, they were fighting for their lives and loosing, the creatures were going to overwhelm them in no time and drown them in sheer number, until suddenly a row of deathly aimed shot came from behind the group and the sky alike making the mecha-zombies head explode in showers of fluids and rotten circuitry, bathing the twins and the young recruits generously in a disgusting mix of unthinkable things.

Spinning around after cutting a robo-zombie's head off, Sideswipe saw Jazz holding a smoking laser gun with a frozen expression on his features, aiming yet another round of shots and firing with perfect aim at the shrieking, hissing and growling creatures.

"The cranial unit. It's the only vulnerable point of those creatures. You have to destroy it." He said in a emotionless voice, aiming for another round of shots.

Without asking questions for now - but he will had to talk to the silver sport car after that battle as to WHY in the Pit he knew THAT bit of information – the red twin began to chop and blow heads off with reckless abandon fueled by sheer disgust and terror. From above, Goldendeath was raining death on the hordes of savage mecha-zombies with a precision as deadly as Jazz's, and whooping happily all the way. The Slagtard was laughing wildly has he blown their heads to bits and exploded them in so many pieces they will never get back up again like a crazy berserker. He was having the time of his life apparently and that was enough to make the psycjotic twins themselves a little nervous.

After what seems like Vorns but had merely been a few breems, the remaining mecha-zombies retreated into the building they had spilled out of like cyber-insects from under a rusted scrap pile and disappeared from view, shrieks and hisses following them all the way until it slowly faded in the distance, most likely underground. They had won that battle, but at a severe cost.

Holding a badly injured Silverstreak in his arms protectively, Stormcloud was shushing the trembling, sobbing little mech gently, rocking him back and forth. Coming closer, the twins' expressions darkened and the tightened their fists at their, the same horrifying look shining in their dark blue optics at the horrible sight. The poor Silverstreak was a mess, battered and dying. He was missing his left arm and optic and was leaking fluids by many open wounds littered all over his frame. He let out a spark-chilling shriek and buckled, pain wracking his small frame in waves.

"Storm… Stormy… I… It hurts… So bad!... Help me, it burns inside…"

"Shush… Don't speak, Streaky, it will be all right… I'm right here, with you. I'll never let you down, I promise, love…" Whispered the large, holding the little medibot close to his chest, tears running down his cheeks in small rivers.

"I… I can't… I'm sorry, Stormcloud… So sorry… Please… Lo-love… ya…" Stammered the mech weakly, trying to smile bravely in the face of death.

Then he shrieked at the top of his vocaliser, trashing wildly in his lover's arms, possessed by a pain beyond anything he had ever known before in his entire function. After a breem or so of trashing and shrieking, it stopped suddenly with one last, agonized, audio rattling wail, frame going rigid as a pole of metal before his optics dimed and then faded to black, his frame taking in the grey of death. he was gone... And just then, a shot resounded from behind them, blowing the dead mech's cranial unit to bits without warning.

Startled, Stormcloud jumped back and let go of the corpse, spinning on his heels to see who did that, disrecpected the dead like that… Only to face Jazz, standing behind the twins with his still smoking gun in his hand and aimed at the now headless medibot. His expression was blank, no emotion showing has slowly lowered his weapon, staring at the corpse.

**oOo**

"What the slag?! Are you crazy?!"

Stormcloud, had had enough. Shocked by the attack, the death of his mate and then the desecration of his corpse, he just lost it. He jumped forward and pined the SIC on a nearby wall, sticking his energy blade under his chin, angry and shaken by what had just happened. Jazz let out a gasp when he was tackled and pined to the wallbut other than that he remained cold and apparently didn't react at the blade being pressed to his throat at all.

"Have you fried your circuits, Jazz? Why did you do it?! WHY?!"

"I had no choices." jazz explained camly, optics bearing into Stormcloud's, cold and calm. "He would've become one of those creatures in a matter of breems if I had not acted. He was lost, and worst, he was cursed from the moment he was first bitten, cursed to feast on the energon and living metal flesh of the living cybertronians."

It was like all feelings had deserted him and turned him into some sort of drone… There were no traces left of the cheerful and happy mech everybody loved, it had all become coldness and madness. Ever since they had reached the city, he became more and more bizarre, unpredictable, and now that…

" HOW COULD YOU KNOW THAT, YOU SLAGTARD? HOW IN PRIMUS'S NAME COULD FRAGGING KNOW THAT!? TELL ME!"

Sunny and Sides shared a look heavy with concern before the red twin stepped forward to ask, disbelief clear in his voice.

"I'm whit Stormcloud here, Sir. How could you know that? How could you possibly know what those things are and how to kill them?!"

The silver mech seemed to shrink with every words coming from his comrades like they were blows, slowly bending him and he seems so old, worn and incredibly guilty. Goldendeath descended from the sky then and landed close by, transforming and glaring at Jazz, daring him to tell the truth to the others before he did. He had folded his arms over his cockpit and a wicked, knowing smirk was gracing his handsome features, as if he knew what the sports car was going to say and already enjoying his torment. After a moment of tense silence, Stormcloud's sword still pressed hard against his throath and drawing droplets of energon, Jazz started his story.

"I know the cause of what's going on here, I've known for a long time… That's why I knew how to take those things down." He let out a long, deep sight, and resumes talking. "It was a mistake, a terrible and horrifying mistake of my younger Vorns and at the time, I had no idea of what I had done or of the consequences of my actions. Even now, I'm not quite certain 'bout that. No matter, though, because those… creatures… were once the inhabitants of the City-State of Selonia. Some are also those who had the bad idea of coming here after the… incident… that I caused."

"What?!" Interrupted Sunstreaker, mouth agape and dripping horror and disbelief as he stared at the cheerful mech. "Those… things… we fought were once living, functioning cybertronians?! I can't believes this! How? Why?"

"Yeah, how? They have no Spark, I saw it. They all have empty spark chambers. So what's making them move around and want to eat mechs alive huh?!" Added Sideswipe to his twin's disbelieving inquiry, just as shocked and confused at the implication of those you think you know a mech... He frowned deeply, crossing his arms over his chest too as if to protect himself from any more shocks.

"This is a long story… And we have no time for that now. I'll tell you the full story after we get out of here. You have my word." Jazz's voice was quiet and laced with pain and guilt, optics downcast and expression dark.

"We already lost a teammate because of you, Jazz. I hold you personally responsible for his death, you fraging afthole! Streaky didn't deserve to die like that! I will make you pay for that when we get away from the Pit hole. of that, YOU have MY words!"

After saying those words, Stormcloud let go of him and removed his sword from the smaller mech's throat. Before Jazz could even move from his spot, though, he whirled on his heels and struck him in the face, hard. The silver mech fell backward, shooting a glare at the weapon specialist's apprentice as he rubbed his aching jaw, spitting a bit of energon blood on the rusty ground.

The moment was broken by a shrieking noise that made them all jump and quickly, without having to say a word, they all knew that they had to move. This open plaza wasn't safe, they were easy target here. Before going, Stormcloud kneeled beside the remains of the little silver and red medic and gently kissed her jaw, the only part of her face that was intact. He whispered something to him and stayed there for a few moments more, as if he was praying maybe. When he was done, he quickly got up and followed the others, leaving behind and plaza and the remains of their fallen comrade.

Behind them, the second moon of Cybertron now hung in the sky along its smaller sister, casting everything in a silver, eerie glow. The moons were both full that night.

The dusk was over.

-TBC-


End file.
